Love Like Winter
by Evanescent Samurai
Summary: ON HIATUS. Titled after the AFI song. Tamaki's girlfriend comes to the Host Club for a visit, but leaves with a broken heart. Now she's taken an interest in Kyouya, her motive unknown. KyouyaxOC, TamakixOC.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

"Welcome to our Host Club," Prince Tamaki Suoh purred. He brushed his glove-clad hand against the cheek of one of the second-year girls. She broke into giggles, her surrounding classmates squealing excitedly. They oohed over Tamaki's newest costume, a Sanzo priest cosplay complete with scriptures written by Kyouya to drape across Tamaki's handsome shoulders.

"So dreamy," the girls sighed, melting to their knees as Tamaki struck a pose fitting of his costume. Meanwhile, off to the side, the other Host Club members waited for their turn in the limelight. The Hitachiin twins, dressed as demon exterminators in matching white trench coats and multi-colored scarves wrapped gracefully around their slender necks.

"Boring," they moaned in unison. "Things need to liven up a little."

"Cake might work," Honey grinned, "and other sweets, too!" Hikaru shook his head.

"That's your answer for everything," he sighed. "Something new for a change, please." Kaoru playfully elbowed his brother's arm.

"What about that girl?" he murmured. "I haven't seen her here before." Honey bounced on his toes next to the brothers.

"Where?" he asked. "I don't see anyone." Mori quietly followed his youthful master. Gently, he tapped Honey's shoulder/

"The girl standing at the back of the crowd," he whispered in Honey's ear, "is whom the twins speak of." Honey craned his neck to see pas the girls crowding around the princely Tamaki.

"Oh, I see," he giggled. "She looks like a nice lady."

"Then, we mustn't leave her unattended." The other Host Club members turned to the boy who spoke.

"Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi gasped under her breath.

"If none of you are willing to entertain this guest," Kyouya informed them, "then I shall do it myself." He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Kyouya's long strides quickly brought himself across the floor and face-to-hair with the mysterious customer.

The girl's uniform scarcely matched the others surrounding her in the same yellow dresses. Trimmings of organza and lace adorned her sleeves and hem. Her long black hair was loosely braided, and her bleached blond streaks were nearly invisible amongst her dark hairs. Cheap chains and jewelry dripped from her arms and fingers, like a summer rain at the peak of the storm, when the sun decides to come out from behind its shroud of clouds. Kyouya raised his eyebrow in curiosity.

"Dear lady," he said, reaching for her hand, "you're so quiet amongst these other girls. May I see your face?" The girls crowding around Tamaki all turned their attention to Kyouya at once, leaving the bewildered prince behind.

"Kyouya-senpai," one chimed, "Yukimura-chan doesn't like boys. She won't let you touch her or see her face." Kyouya flashed the girls an enigmatic smile.

"If she truly hated men," he cooed, "Yukimura-kouhai1 wouldn't have some with you to this humble host club." Sweeping his arm out to the other club members, he laughed proudly and said, "Come, ladies, and enjoy yourselves." As the other girls ran off to their designated hosts, Kyouya and the girl stayed behind.

Kyouya faced the girl at his side, his cool smile tugging at his lips. "Yukimura-kouhai," he soothed, "I won't touch you unless you give me permission. I promise you that."

"Winter." Kyouya stopped smiling for a moment. He leaned closer to her, trying to catch a glimpse of her face behind her bangs. A pair of pale brown eyes the color of champagne watched him intently, waiting for Kyouya's next move. "Your cosplay is terrible, the girl continued. "What are you supposed to be?" Kyouya frowned at her audacity.

"My costume is irrelevant," he answered, trying to maintain his cool composure. "Yukimura-kouhai, if you're simply going to stand here, then I'm wasting my time. Good day, Yukimura-kouhai." Kyouya held his shoulders back proudly, like a rooster that oversees the hens, his feathers neatly preened and head held high as he struts to impress his girls as well as protect them all. So Kyouya held himself as the girl stood at his side.

"My name," the girl murmured, "is 'Winter.'" Kyouya snatched Winter's chin, his free hand restraining her arm. He jerked her face up to the light so that he could see her face better.

Winter's eyelids were caked with thick black liner and purple shadow. The mascara clinging to her lashes made her frightened expression look fearsome.

"A Malice Meizer fan?" Kyouya smirked. "You wear your makeup just like them, Yukimura-shinpai, and it looks heap on you." Winter clawed at Kyouya's arm with her long nails, trying with all her might to make him let go of her person. "Black polish, too? Yukimura-kouhai, trying to tear me apart won't do you any good."

"Shut up," Winter growled. "I'm not even here for you, Ohtori-senpai. I came for Tamaki-kun! He invited me here _personally_. Let me go to him." Kyouya released Winter's arm. He watched her trot toward Tamaki's posse, and his chest grew heavy.

Across the room, Winter took a seat beside Tamaki as another girl moved on to the next Host. Tamaki tenderly stroked Winter's dark hair, and he draped his arms around her shoulders.

"You came, Winter-chan," he smiled. "I'm glad." Winter wrapped her arms around Tamaki's waist, burying her face into his Sanzo robes.

"Tamaki-kun," she sighed, enjoying her prince's caress, "you didn't forget, did you?" Tamaki shook his head, and he replied, "Of course not, my dear. How could I ever forget my plans with you?" Winter drew away from Tamaki's arms.

"You called me 'dear,'" she said. "Something's wrong." Tamaki gently stroked Winter's chin.

"No," he replied, his voice straining as he lied, "there's nothing wrong." Winter clenched her skirt in her hands, trying to stop her tears from coming. The black organza rustled and scratched her fingers as she gripped the fabric tighter.

"Tamaki-kun," she murmured, "you're not going to dump me, are you?" Tamaki sighed with his head in his hands. Winter had figured him out. "How dare you!" Winter snapped. "You knew this entire time that you'd leave me, so why did you promise to make love to me?" Tamaki grasped Winter's slender hands.

"I'm sorry," he pleaded. "I just can't see you outside the Host Club anymore." Winter bowed her head to hide her brimming tears from Tamaki's pleading gaze.

_Don't look at me like that_, she thought. _You'll only make me cry more_.

She took her hands away from her prince, whimpering and choking back sobs.

"Good bye, Suoh-senpai," she murmured, her voice wavering as blackened tears, stained by her makeup, trickled down her pale cheeks. She turned and ran from princely Tamaki. Like a stream that gurgles sadly over craggy rocks as it runs its course singing laments of the past, so Winter cried for her dearest Tamaki.

Kyouya smirked as Winter ran away. Her disappointment wasn't a new event to him. Many girls came to the Host Club only to have their hearts broken. Winter was only one of many who dared to get close to Tamaki.

"Winter," Tamaki sobbed, "I'm sorry!" He buried his face in his knees, hiding his glistening tears while he sulked. Kyouya's smirk faded, and he sighed as Tamaki's pitiful whining.

"So, you really loved her?" he asked. "Tamaki nodded, keeping his face hidden. "Don't cry, my lord," Kyouya continued. "She wasn't worth your time or energy." Tamaki sniffled and wiped his eyes.

"But, I was actually going to make love to her," he whimpered. "I would never have thought about promising something like that to the other girls, but Winter was different from them. And, now I can't see her anymore." Kyouya briskly patted his club mate's shoulder.

"You'll be alright, Suoh-kun," he said.

Tamaki's sobs caught the attention of the Hitachiin brothers. Hikaru dragged his brother behind him as he raced to see what was going on. Of course, no one could leave the twins out of something so dramatic as this.

"Yo, Kyouya," he said, "why's Tamaki crying this time?" Kyouya sighed impatiently. He explained how Winter figured out Tamaki's plan, and how she chose to leave him before he ended things himself. The twins listened with less enthusiasm than they had when they hurried over to hear about the big news. Finally, Hikaru spoke up.

"My lord," he said, smiling at Tamaki, "what about the other girls here? They'll feel unwanted if they see you pining for a girl that is not them." Tamaki wiped the last trickles of his tears from his cheeks.

"You're right," he said. "I have to keep myself together for the sake of the club." So, Tamaki rose and mindlessly brushed the invisible dirt from his costume. Within seconds his posse returned, all with concern etched on their fine, young faces. Several girls drew out their handkerchiefs for Tamaki, each silently hoping that their prince would choose her as his princess by taking her square of fine cloth. But, Tamaki didn't take one. He forced a smile, gently stroking the cheeks of the girls nearest him. "I'm fine, girls," he said. "No need to worry about me."

Over the course of two weeks, Kyouya watched Tamaki's slow recovery from his recent heartbreak. Before long his princely nature returned. Winter had once been the center of his life, but he seemed to have left her behind with all his tears.

_At least he's less clingy_, thought Kyouya. _Now I can_ actually _perform my duties without his interference_.

"Ohtori-senpai." Kyouya looked up from his clipboard. The familiar smell of thick makeup filled his nose, and he rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Don't roll your eyes at me, Ohtori-senpai. I came here for you." Kyouya cracked an amused smile.

"Welcome back, Winter Yukimura-kouhai."

_Author's Notes:_

**1** Many thanks to Lien-chan for giving me the correct suffix for lowerclassmen. I feel better knowing what to use for younger students instead of making something up and acting like an idiot. Thank you, Lien-chan:D


	2. Chapter 2

"Ohtori-senpai." Kyouya looked up from his clipboard. The familiar smell of thick makeup filled his nose, and he rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Don't roll your eyes at me, Ohtori-senpai. I came here for you." Kyouya cracked an amused smile.

"Welcome back, Winter Yukimura-kouhai."

Chapter 2:

Winter huffed and folded her arms on her chest, muttering, "Choose one name to address me by, Ohtori-senpai. I'd rather not be called my full name." Kyouya smirked as Winter stepped out of the doorway into the Host Club. Her uniform's black organza trim rustled as she walked, a familiar sound to Kyouya's ears. She slowly unzipped her purse, a small black bag with white doilies on the sides. She retrieved her wallet from her hand-tatted purse, and she drew out a handful of paper bills. She forced them into Kyouya's hands.

"I'm paying you," she said. Kyouya stared blankly at the money in his hand. Traces of spilled makeup stained the edges of the papers, and they smelled like cheap cologne, not something he wouldn't expect Tamaki to wear willingly.

_Perhaps she's found a new boy to date_, he thought.

Winter wrapped his fingers around the bills, and she grinned, "Isn't that what you do at a host club?" Kyouya sighed as he put the money back into Winter's hands.

"I can't take your money," he said. "My Lord would never forgive me if he saw you here with another host." Winter frowned at the money in her hands.

"You're not your usual self," she said bluntly. "I know how far you're willing to go to make a profit, so why won't you accept my payment?" Kyouya gently grasped her chin, pulling her closer to him.

"I will allow you into my Lord's club," he murmured lowly in her ear, "_if_ you'll join me for dinner this evening, Yukimura-kouhai." He brushed her bangs aside so h could see her eyes in full. The obvious expression of desire lied in Winter's eyes, but an undecipherable emotion hid behind her wanting gaze.

_What are you thinking, Yukimura-kouhai?_

"Fine," Winter finally replied. "I'll go out with you tonight." Kyouya smiled and released her chin.

"Good," he smiled. "Oh, and Yukimura-kouhai, please try not to wear so much makeup. I want to see your _real_ face." Winter stuck her tongue out at him in play, replying to his jab at her makeup. Kyouya stared disgusted at the piercing on Winter's tongue. The silver stud seemed to be her new accessory.

_How did Tamaki ever kiss her with that _thing _sticking out of her tongue_, he wondered.

Winter tapped Kyouya's should and said, "Don't worry, Ohtori-senpai, it can come out." Kyouya smothered a chuckle as he offered his arm to her. Winter took his offer graciously, linking her arm in his.

As Kyouya offered her a seat at a nearby table, he noticed how much Winter had altered her uniform to fit her gothic tastes. The typical, yellow, high collared-dress worn by all the female students had been dramatically changed by Winter's skilled hands. She had tiered the skirt into several layers, each lined with lack organza trim. Black ribbons laced the bodice and fell below the dress' hem. Winter had removed nearly the entire breast piece, leaving only the collar as a separate piece of jewelry. If the cloth wasn't lined with the organza fabric, she had edged it with black lace.

"So," Kyouya began, "how do you get away with wearing a uniform so drastically altered, Yukimura-kouhai?" Winter ignored him, pouring herself a cup of steaming vanilla tea. "The staff must think of you as a delinquent," he continued. "Only the yanki here alter their uniform to such an extent as you." Winter took Kyouya's cup and filled it to the brim with tea.

"I have my ways," she replied. "Does the name 'Chisame Hasegawa' mean anything to you?" Kyouya shook his head. "Never mind, then," Winter muttered. "The teacher advisor, Yoshitaka Yukimura, is my guardian. He's done all he can to keep me from doing what I do. At last, he gave up, and he's vouched many times on my behalf to my teachers regarding my uniform and make up." Kyouya stared blankly at his tea as he swirled a lump of sugar into the drink.

_She's the manipulative type_, he thought. _A dangerous personality_.

"You've altered your uniform on your own?" Kyouya wondered. Winter proudly waved her hand over her dress.

"Every stitch, every piece of lace," she replied, "all done by my hands."

"It looks beautiful," Kyouya smiled distastefully.

_She looks more like a queen bee than an Ouran student._

Winter leaned forward toward Kyouya's face.

"Something's wrong with you," she murmured, scrutinizing his face. "You're not acting like your usual self." Kyouya coolly stood up, and he brushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"Come," he said, offering his hand. "Let's take a walk in the garden." Winter sighed, and she took his offer. During the walk, she watched his face out of the corner of her eye. She was sure that he was planning something against her.

_Damn, Kyouya_, she growled. _You're too hard to read from this angle._

Winter shook her head and sighed. She was a head shorter than Kyouya, so trying to read his face from her height would be difficult enough. She wondered why she even tried to read his face in the first place.

"Yukimura-kouhai—"

"Please," Winter interrupted, "call me 'Winter,' okay?" Kyouya chuckled to himself.

"Alright, Winter-kouhai," he said, emphasizing her name. "What kind of flowers do you like?" Winter blushed. Hearing someone address her by her first name was a little…embarrassing.

"B-bleeding hearts," she replied, "and white chrysanthemums." Kyouya placed his hand on her head.

"If you're embarrassed," he murmured, "then I'll call you something else, Winter-kouhai."

_Tamaki-kun called you 'Winter,'_ he thought. _Why would you ask me to call you what he did?_

"I'm not embarrassed!" Winter exclaimed, slipping from beneath Kyouya's hand. Her cheeks were even redder now, and she couldn't look Kyouya in the eye. "Just don't touch me, Ohtori-senpai." Kyouya watched silently as Winter sat in the grass and hung her head with a deep sigh.

_Odd_, he thought. _I remember that she used to let Tamaki-kun touch her all the time. In fact, she and Tamaki-kun often snuck away during her times at the Host Club. Why is now any different?_

"Tamaki-ku— I mean, Suoh-senpai," Winter informed the confused host, "used to touch me a lot. Stop wondering why his touch is any different than yours. You're not warm like he is. I like that." Kyouya sat beside her, focusing on her pale eyes for any sign of a plan that she was concocting. "Why are you staring?" Winter asked, not even looking at the young host. "I won't bite you, Ohtori-senpai." She softly traced Kyouya's jaw with her finger. She could see his light skin shivering beneath her touch, and she smiled mischievously. Slowly, she leaned into Kyouya, crawling into his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Ohtori-senpai," she whispered. Kyouya leaned forward, planting a soft kiss on her mouth.

_Perfect_, Winter thought, tightly embracing his neck. She felt Kyouya's hand gripping her hair as he fell into the kiss, his other maintaining his balance in his seat. Winter ignored his snorts of air, pushing him backwards into the grass. As her fingers began to unknot Kyouya's tie, and his hands began to untie her bodice, someone called Winter's name.

"Winter-chan!" Winter suddenly tore from her kiss.

"That was Yoshitaka!" she gasped. Quickly she leapt to her feet, but she realized that her clothes were disheveled and her hair was a mess; Yoshitaka would know about her plunder immediately. "Kyouya-senpai," she demanded, "help me." Kyouya straightened his glasses, and he looked upon his Lolita, her ribbons falling from her hair and dress askew.

"Alright," he replied. He reached around her waist with his long arms, and he began to tie the ribbons that his fingers had unwound.

"Quickly!" Winter hissed. "Yoshitaka could come at any minute."

"Looks like I chose the wrong one." Winter gasped, her hands gripping Kyouya's coat.

"Shit," she muttered.


	3. Chapter 3

"Quickly!" Winter hissed. "Yoshitaka could come at any minute."

"Looks like I chose the wrong one." Winter gasped, her hands gripping Kyouya's coat.

"Shit," she muttered.

Chapter 3:

Winter pushed Kyouya back onto the grass, screaming at him for touching her. She threw herself down and cupped her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook as she forced several shrill sobs to pass her lips. Kyouya watched her entire show with wide eyes, unsure if he was allowed to touch her, especially since her guardian had arrived.

_Winter Yukimura, you set me up._

Yoshitaka snorted angrily, and he seized Winter's arm.

"Don't pull that act on me," he growled. "I'm not stupid, Winter." He yanked her to her feet, ignoring her screeches and clawing hands. "Come with me," he demanded.

"Wait, Yukimura-san," Kyouya said calmly, repositioning his tie. Yoshitaka glared at Kyouya, strands of his wild blond hair falling over his eyes.

"Winter can't stay," he replied.

"I was actually referring to you. Winter-kouhai said that you were her guardian, Yoshitaka Yukimura-san." Yoshitaka grasped Winter's chin and pulled her close to his face.

"Did you lie to Ohtori-kun?" he whispered. "Do you realize what you've done here, Winter?" The girl shrunk back from his demands, whimpering like a small dog.

"Yoshitaka, please," she begged, "not now." She gently took his free hand in hers and kissed it. "Can this wait?" Yoshitaka tore from her hands. His cheeks began to turn red in his anger, and he pinched her ear.

"We're going now," he snarled. "I'm taking you home." Winter pushed him away, staggering backward from her own force.

"Yoshitaka, Ohtori-senpai was only tying my ribbons for me," she informed him. "They became untied, and he was fixing it for m—"

"I don't care," Yoshitaka interrupted. "Winter, I'm worried about you."

"Can't you be worried for me later? Ohtori-senpai is still here, and he's waiting for me." Winter waited quietly for an answer from her guardian. When he still didn't speak, she turned to Kyouya and bowed. "Ohtori-senpai, please forgive my guardian's actions," she begged. "Yoshitaka doesn't understand how the Host Club operates." Yoshitaka gasped, and he grabbed Winter's wrist.

"A host?!" he cried. "Ohtori-sama is a host?"

"So is Suoh-senpai," Winter muttered, "and, you didn't care when I was with him." Yoshitaka bowed low before Kyouya.

"Ohtori-sama, I'm afraid that Winter can't see you anymore," he said. "I don't think it's proper for a young woman to be seriously involved with a host." Winter gulped nervously.

_Yoshitaka_, she thought, _what the hell are you doing? Ohtori-senpai… Kyouya-senpai…_

"I agree," Kyouya replied. "It isn't proper for a young woman to be seriously involved with a host." Winter's eyes began to well with tears.

"Kyouya-senpai," she whimpered.

"But, I don't see what is improper in a relationship between a young woman and the son of a successful businessman," Kyouya smiled. Winter grinned, ran to her Host, and hugged him tight.

"Kyouya-senpai!" she squealed. "Thank you. Thank you so much!" Kyouya stroked her hair and returned her embrace.

"You called me by my name," he murmured. Winter's cheeks began to turn pink, and she looked away. "It's alright," Kyouya soothed, gently turning her face back to him. "I don't mind."

_Kyouya-senpai_, Winter sighed, _please… squeeze me tighter._

_A/N: Sorry, sorry, I don't typically write Author Notes, but I feel I have to apologize for slacking so much on this fan fiction, and the others I've been working on since 2006. I've hit a Writer's Block recently with this story (although I really want to include a Love Hotel chapter soon XD), but I'll work through it._

_Coming Soon! Black Paint, a Death note fanfiction by Evanescent Samurai._


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